Material for mine-ventilating tubing or the like and process for producing the same



Patented Sept. 9, 1930 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I WILLIAM HOOPER EVANS, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTTCU T MATERIAL FORMINE-VENTILATING TUBING OR THE LIKE PROCESS FOR PRODUC- ING THE SAME IoDrawing.

The present invention relates to an im-' tions the fungous growth willattack it afterabout seven .or eight months use and rapid deteriorationwill set in. Fungus resisting coatings have heretofore been employed,which, however, merely provided a superficial resistantto fungous growthand any deterioration or break in the coating would expose the fabricitself to the growth. This was particularly due to the fact thatfungicides have heretofore been mixed in a coating which was moreor lessdense in order to enable it to be applied by pressure in a coatingmachine, and which, vtherefore, when applied would not thoroughly imprenate or saturate the fabric base, so that a su stantial portion of thelatter remained unprotected. so The base material from which thesecoatings have heretofore been made was usually of such-a nature as to beeasily attacked by the fungous growth, and the manner of mixing in thefungicide merely rendered the coating resistant to the owth but did notprevent it, as portions of t e coatin would remain unaffected by thefungicide and the fungus 5 would attack these portions and work throughthe coating to the fabric.

It is proposed in the present invention to provide a material in which afabric base is .so treated as to be entirely and inherently resistanttofungous growth, and to this end I propose to saturate the fabric byimmersion uid bath in which a fungicide has been converted into liquidform. I

I further propose to provide such material which will be. air-t1ght,water-pr0of,

unafiected by great changes in temperature,

Application filed July 2,

to the complete point of saturation in a liq- 1927. Serial No. 203,281.

will not-crack or break when folded or flexed,

and having a surface adapted to reduce air friction and resistcorrosion, and for this purpose I provide a fungicide saturated fabricbase with a superficial protecting coat ing upon the particularrequirements.-

Fabric in its commercial form contains a certain amount of hygroscopicmoisture, this moisture being disposed in the interstices .between theminute fibres or cells, and with this moisture present it is impossibleto completely saturate the material. I therefore first prepare thematerial for saturation by thoroughly drying it either in a drying oven,or other .suitable drying means, to completely extract the moisture.Cotton, for instance, heated to 100 degrees, loses its naturalhygroscopic moisture. The material is then treated with the fungicide byimmersin it until it has reached a maximum state 0 saturation and isthereupon allowed to dry. The fungicide may be either insoluble inwater, a suitable fungicide of this nature being dinitrophenol, or itmay, if desired, be of a soluble nature, as for instance, sodiumformate. In any case the immersion consists of the fun cideand itsproper solvent, the solvent or dinitro-phenol for instance, beingalcohol, the immersion being of suitable consistency to permit it tocompletely saturate the material, and also being so proportioned as tostrength of the fungicide as to render the material completely resistantto fungous growth with out breaking down, burning, or otherwiseaifecting the structure of the fabric base. In using a fungicide whichis soluble in water, it is desirable to protect it against the action ofmoisture, and for this purpose the saturated material is subjected to aprotective bath, as ,oil, a suitable oil for this purpose be-' ing pinetar oil or parafiine. This oil bath may'also be employed with theinsoluble fungicide for the purpose of avoiding any possible breakingdown of the fungicide, as for instance, when the material may come intocontact with destructive chemicals.

The fabric thus produced is entirely and inherently resistant to fungousgrowth, but for the purpose of meeting the other conditions that arepresent in its use in mines, I further render the same air-tight andwaterproof, and for this purpose it is treated with a suitable coatingsubstance having the properties of flexibility and imperviousness to airand water, a satisfactory substance for this purpose being commercialpyroxylin solution, or rubber. This coating may be applied either bypainting, spraying, dipping, or by any other standard coating processes.Pyroxylin solution also has the advantage of completely closing aboutthreads sewed through the fabric, whereas other coatings retain theneedle perforation in its original size, which is larger than the threaddiameter.

As a. final step, the material is dusted or painted with a suitablesurfacin substance,

as aluminum dust, to reduce air friction and resist corrosion.

I have described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of theinvention, but it is obvious that changes may benlade therein, withinthe spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to securebylLetter's Patent is:

1. As a newarticle of manufacture, mine ventilating tubing materialcomprising adehydrated fabric base impregnated with a fungicide, andhaving a fungicide retaining coating.

2. As a new article of manufacture, mine ventilating tubing materialcomprising a fabric base impregnated with a fungicide, and a fungicideretaining oil coating said fabric.

3. As a new article of manufacture, mine ventilating .tubing materialcomprising a dehydrated fabric base impregnated with a fungicide, and aflexible coating impervious to air and water.

4. As a new article of manufacture, mine ventilating tubing materialcomprising a fabric base impregnated with a fungicide, a fun icideretaining coating, and a further coating of flexible material imperviousto air and water. v

5. As a new article of manufacture, mine ventilating tubing materialcomprising a fabric base impregnated with a fungicide, a flexiblecoating of materialimpervious to air and water, and a surfacing coatingfor said flexible coating adapted to reduce air friction.

6. As a new article of manufacture, mine ventilating tubing comprising afabric base, impregnated with a fungicide, and a flexible pyroxylincoating.

7. The method of producing mine ventilating tubing material whichcomprises dehydrating a fabric base, immersing said fabric base in afungicide until substantially saturated, dryin said material, andapplying a protective finis iing coating.

8. The method of producing mine ventilating tubing material whichcomprises dehydrating a fabric base, immersing said fabric base in a.fungicide until it is substantially saturated, drying said material,immersing said dry material in a fungicide retaining liquid and coatingsaid material with a substance impervious to air and water.

9. The method of producing mine ventilating tubing material whichcomprises heating a fabric base to remove its hydroscopic moisture,impregnating said dehydrated material with a fungicide to itssubstantial limit of saturation, drying saidmaterial, immersing said drymaterial in a fungicide retaining liquid, and coating said material witha flexible substance impervious to air and water.

Signed at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut,this 20th day of June, 1927.

WILLIAM HOOPER EVANS.

